3019. CRISPY OYSTER and PAD THAI with BACON

serves four


1 pound Pad Thai noodles
1 cup Pad Thai sauce, (recipe follows)
vegetable oil for deep frying plus a little extra for stir frying
dozen shucked oysters
rice flour for dusting
1 Thai chile, thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions, green part only, cut into 2 inch lengths
1 thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup bacon lardons, cooked until crispy
1/2 cup julienned carrots
1/2 cup bean sprouts
¼ cup preserved radish
2 tablespoons roughly chopped peanuts
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
cilantro leaves, basil leaves (preferably Thai basil), and lime wedges for garnish

Pad Thai Sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely minced lemongrass
1/2 cup water
½ cup sherry vinegar
2 cups fish sauce
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon sriracha
1 cup tamarind concentrate
1 tablespoon paprika
2 kaffir lime leaves

In a large saucepan cook the garlic and shallot in the oil over low heat, stirring occasionally until translucent. Add the lemongrass and cook until aromatic. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and reserve. Note: This is a huge batch. You will only need 1 cup for the recipe, so keep the rest in the fridge for future recipes.

Put the noodles in a large bowl, cover them with cold water. Cover and chill them overnight. Make the Pad Thai sauce.

Heat 2 inches oil in a deep saucepan over moderately high heat until 365 F. When the oil is hot, coat the oysters in the rice flour, shaking off the excess. Add them to the oil carefully and fry until very crispy. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel to drain and sprinkle lightly with salt.

Combine the chile, scallions, onion, bacon, carrots, bean sprouts, preserved radish and peanuts in one bowl.

In a wok or large skillet heat a little vegetable oil over high heat. Add the eggs and stir constantly until they are almost scrambled about 30 seconds. Add the bowl of ingredients and stir fry 1 minute. Add Pad Thai noodles and stir fry until soft and wilted. Add Pad Thai sauce and toss. Add cilantro and basil and stir to combine well. Remove from wok and spoon into bowls. Garnish with lime.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sara Moulton, Sara's Weeknight Meals, Episode 305, Season 3; January 30, 2013

2278. HIROSHIMA-STYLE OKONOMIYAKI

okonomiyaki mix flour
2-3 cups shredded cabbage
1/2 cup tenkasu
3-5 slices bacon
1 cup bean sprouts
1 egg
1 cup green onion
okonomi sauce
ketchup
salt and pepper
lard or vegetable oil
1 package ramen noodles
water
aonori/green laver

Spread oil on the hot plate or pan medium heat. Spread the okonomiyaki flour mix in about 8″ circle like making crepe. Put 2-3 cups of shredded cabbage on top. Add tenkasu on top of cabbage. Add chopped green onion on the top of tenkasu. Add bean sprouts on top of green onion. Spread the thin cut bacon on top of bean sprouts. Add salt and pepper on vegetables. Pour around about 1/2 cup of okonomiyaki flour mix on top of bacon. It will help to put all together. Turn up the eat to strongest. Use two biggest spatula you have and stick them in the bottom from the both side and carefully but quickly flip them. It won’t be perfect and all the vegetable will spread a little. It’s OK. Just stick them under the okonomiyaki spread. Make a little house of vegetable on the bottom and okonomiyaki spread on the top as roof. Let them steam to cook though. Once the bacon is cooked, you can turn down the heat to low to keep steam the vegetable. Do not push down. It takes about 2-3 min. With separate pan or other side of hot plate, cook steamed ramen noodle with a bit of okonomi sauce or salt and pepper. Cook well and get burn a bit to get some crispiness. Put the whole okonomiyaki on top of noodle. Use the two spatula from both side again carefully. With separate pan or other side of hot plate, break one egg. Quickly mix up a little (not too much- you can still see white and yellow. not all yellow) and make them to circle shape. Before egg cook though while the top is still raw, put on top of egg. In a minute, when the egg is cooked, it’s done. Flip them so the okonomiyaki spread is on top and put that on the plate. If you are using frying pan, you can put the plate on top and flip the whole thing. Now, spread okonomi Sauce and aonori (green laver). You can add mayonnaise if you like.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Japanese Food

1647. CHICKEN, SMOKY BACON and BAMBOO SHOOT STIR-FRY

serves two as a main or four to share


1 tablespoon groundnut oil
3 smoked bacon rashers sliced
2 x 200 gram-250 gram chicken breasts each cut into 5mm slices
1 x 220 gram tin of bamboo shoots drained
1 handful of bean sprouts
1-2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
a dash of toasted sesame oil
1 spring onion sliced
rice of your choice to serve

Heat a wok over a high heat and add the groundnut oil. When the oil starts to smoke, add the bacon and stir-fry for 2 minutes until crispy. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 4 minutes. As the chicken turns from pink to opaque, add the rice wine or sherry. Add the bamboo shoots and bean sprouts and stir-fry for 1 minute, then season to taste with the soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil.

Garnish with the spring onion and serve immediately with whichever rice you fancy. I suggest jasmine rice on its own or boiled with 1.5cm cubes of sweet potato, or egg fried rice as in the picture.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Ching-he Huang, Mail Online, The Daily Mail, Associated Newspapers Limited, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT

1370. FILIPINO CHOW MEIN with BACON

serves four


8 oz. thick dried egg noodles
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves
3 oz. bacon, finely chopped
a small Napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage), thinly sliced
1 carrot, cut into sticks
1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh bean sprouts, trimmed
2 to 3 spring onions, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
pinch of freshly ground pepper
1 cup of chicken stock

Bring a large pot of water to boil, add the noodles and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to separate the noodles. Drain, rinse under cold running water and drain again. Transfer to a bowl. Heat 2 tbsp of peanut oil in a wok, add the onion, garlic, bacon cabbage, carrot, bean sprouts and stir fry for three to five minutes. Season with salt, sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce and pepper. Transfer the entire mixture to a bowl. Wipe the wok clean. Heat remaining oil in the wok, add the noodles, toss for a minute and add the spring onions. Then pour in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil and when liquid is reduced to half, add the stir-fry mixture and mix well for two minutes. Adjust the seasoning with soy, salt and pepper. Serve with extra soy sauce or hot chili sauce.


courtesy of: June Chua, Asian Cuisine at suite101.com